General Staff Onboarding

General Staff Onboarding

 
Hello Team! This is your Rainbow Tech Fest general staff welcome pack! This is a general onboarding package for event related information that applies to the entire staff. Let’s get this going and welcome aboard RTF2025! 🌈

General Knowledge

What is Rainbow Tech Fest?

Rainbow Tech Fest is a 3-day celebratory Pride Month hackathon June 19th-21st, 2025. participants will build websites, stream overlays, bots, games, apps, and other digital creations while streaming their creative process. This judgment-free environment welcomes creators of all experience levels – from coding novices to seasoned developers.
Platform: Fully digital (Twitch streams with Discord coordination)

Why?

Our event celebrates the incredible diversity within tech and streaming communities. We welcome participants and viewers across the LGBTQIA2S+ spectrum and allies who share our values of inclusion, creativity, and digital innovation.
 
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Whether you're creating to express yourself, solve a problem, or just because you can – RTF 2025 is where your quirky tech gay dreams find their people and purpose ✨🌈💻🏳️‍🌈

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is a time-limited creative event where participants come together to brainstorm and create something unique. It’s an opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and push creative boundaries. Participants experiment with new tools or concepts, often building something from scratch within the given timeframe. The focus is on creativity and innovation rather than perfection. Hackathons are also a great way to connect with others and showcase your talents.
On Twitch, a hackathon could look like streamers collaborating live to create something unique within a set timeframe. For example:
  1. Art Collabs: Multiple artists could work on a shared digital canvas, each contributing their style to a single piece of art.
  1. Overlay Design: Streamers could design interactive stream overlays or animations, showcasing their process live.
  1. Storytelling Challenges: Writers or storytellers could collaborate to craft a short story or screenplay in real-time.
  1. Game Jams: Creators could build a simple game or interactive experience, combining art, music, and gameplay ideas.
  1. Stream Enhancements: Participants could brainstorm and build new tools, alerts, or creative stream features.
Audience engagement can also play a big role, with viewers offering suggestions, voting on ideas, or participating in challenges alongside the streamers.
A hackathon is a time-limited creative event where participants come together to brainstorm and create something unique. It’s an opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and push creative boundaries. Participants experiment with new tools or concepts, often building something from scratch within the given timeframe. The focus is on creativity and innovation rather than perfection. Hackathons are also a great way to connect with others and showcase your talents.
 
On Twitch, a hackathon could look like streamers collaborating live to create something unique within a set timeframe. For example:
  1. Art Collabs: Multiple artists could work on a shared digital canvas, each contributing their style to a single piece of art.
  1. Overlay Design: Streamers could design interactive stream overlays or animations, showcasing their process live.
  1. Storytelling Challenges: Writers or storytellers could collaborate to craft a short story or screenplay in real-time.
  1. Game Jams: Creators could build a simple game or interactive experience, combining art, music, and gameplay ideas.
  1. Stream Enhancements: Participants could brainstorm and build new tools, alerts, or creative stream features.
Audience engagement can also play a big role, with viewers offering suggestions, voting on ideas, or participating in challenges alongside the streamers.

Nice, so what are the RTF prizes?

Official Awards:
  • Technical Wow Factor: Most impressive technical achievement
  • Visual Delight: Most beautiful and engaging design
  • Community Choice: Voted by all participants
  • Creative Brilliance: Most innovative and creative concept
  • Compelling "Because": Most authentic personal motivation
Bonus Awards:
[TO BE ANNOUNCED AT THE FINALE AWARDS SHOW!]

Fancy, now how do participants enter the RTF 2025 hackathon? How do they win?

How participants enter:
  • Join the RTF Discord server (invitations will be sent through official channels)
  • Participate in team formations (starts June 15 Early Access, continues through event)
    • 1-3 members for a project (teams are optional)
How participants become eligible to win: a qualified project submission
  • Submit projects by 3:00 AM EST on June 21st
Judging Criteria: (1-5 rating system, weighted equally)
RTF 2025 Judging Criteria Guide (in-depth)
RTF 2025 Judging Criteria Guide (in-depth)
  • Technical Execution (20%): Code quality, functionality, innovation
  • Visual Design (20%): UI/UX, aesthetics, user experience
  • Community Impact (20%): Potential benefit to LGBTQIA+ creators/community
  • Creative Innovation (20%): Uniqueness, creativity, artistic vision
  • "Because" Statement (20%): Authenticity and personal connection to project motivation
  • 8 award categories total: 5 official awards + 3 bonus awards
  • Community Choice Award voted by all participants
  • Winners get in-kind prize bundles (software, tools, courses, etc.)

How can volunteers participate? How can I help?

As a staff member you’re already doing amazing and we appreciate you! So please we encourage balance and self care above all else. As much as possible the hope is that Staff members can also enjoy RTF and yes, we have options here for you to:
  1. Sign up for the event and become a participant
    1. All staff can participate and submit projects
    2. Exception: Judge roles - Judges can hack and participate, but cannot submit projects for awards (conflict of interest)
  1. Big ways Staff can help during the event:
      • Share expertise when you can:
        • Jump into conversations in Discord or in Twitch chats where you have knowledge to share (or just bring good vibes)
        • Answer questions if you know the answer
        • No pressure - only when you have time and energy
      • Celebrate participants:
        • React with emojis on cool progress posts
        • Drop encouraging comments when you see them
      • Be welcoming:
        • Say hi to newcomers when you notice them
        • Help point people in the right direction if they seem lost
That's it- just be yourself and help when you can.

3. Take care of yourself:

  • Your staff are valuable and important, but don't burn out
  • Take breaks - step away when you need to recharge
  • Ask for help if you're overwhelmed
  • Remember this should be fun - we're building something amazing together

4. Staff participation perks:

  • Get first access to all resources and tutorials
  • Behind-the-scenes experience of running a major event
  • Connect with other creators in a unique way
  • Build your portfolio while helping others do the same
Bottom line: Your wellbeing matters most. Participate in whatever way feels sustainable and enjoyable for you!